Our Programs

GROUPHere at Above and Beyond we offer outpatient group for individuals who seek healing from substance abuse. All groups are facilitated by one of our exceptional clinicians. Group is a safe setting where our clients can be educated about substance abuse and process any underlying issues with the group. It is important for our clients to be able to relate to one another and develop interpersonal relationships. Group is a wonderful platform to do so. We offer level I and level II outpatient group.

INDIVIDUAL COUNSELINGOur individual sessions at Above and Beyond allow our clients to meet one on one with a counselor. We believe one on one counseling is very useful, in that, the client and counselor can develop an understanding and meet the client where they are at. This will allow time to discuss the client’s specific needs.

TRAUMA GROUPMany addicts have experienced trauma at one point or another in their lives. Trauma group allows our clients to process traumatic events in life that might have caused them to use drugs/alcohol. We believe trauma plays a big part in an addict’s life. Whether you have been a crime victim, involved in an accident or natural disaster, or were the victim of childhood abuse, the resulting trauma is similar. Pervasive fear and feelings of helplessness are natural reactions to events you probably had little or no control over. “I was totally traumatized,” and “I thought I was going to die,” are among the most often used phrases used to describe such occurrences. Unfortunately, trauma and the stress that follows, is on the rise at the turn of the new millennium in America. Fortunately, there are ways to overcome the “aftershocks” of traumatic incidents. 1. Recognize that your symptoms are normal reactions to abnormal circumstances. Although you may feel like you are out of control or “going crazy,” in reality, you are experiencing what are called post-traumatic stress symptoms. 2. Talk about your thoughts, feeling and reactions to the events with people you trust. Then, talk about it some more. Keep talking about it until you have no need to talk about it anymore. 3. Do whatever it takes to create a feeling of safety and tranquility in your immediate environment. Do you need to sleep with a night light on for a while? Can you develop a discipline of meditation or listening to soothing music? 4. As much and as quickly as possible, resume your normal activities and routines. Traumatic events can throw your life into a state of chaos. The sooner you resume these activities and routines, the more normal your life will feel. Structure can provide feelings of security as you etch your way back to stability. 5. You are in a recovery process. Give yourself the proper rest, nutrition and exercise. If you were recovering from the flu you would not forget these health tips. Do the same for yourself as you recover from traumatic stress. 6. Take an affirmative action on your behalf. For example, if you were a victim of crime, prosecuting the perpetrator may be an empowering experience. If this is not an option for you, write in your journal. Strike out at the perpetrator with words. Take some action on your behalf.

WERKforceOur unique and proprietary employment readiness program is named WERKforce, for Wonder, Excellence, Resilience, and Knowledge. Rooted in the core concepts of the Co-Active Coaching model, we hold our clients as naturally creative, resourceful, and whole. Anyone can participate in the WERKforce curriculum and we envision this service to be of cornerstone importance in the preparation of our clients for their productive and rewarding job search. Included in our skill building curriculum are workshops in resume and cover letter writing and mock interviews which are recorded and supported by peers in our computer lab. Field trips to employment sites and community colleges and coaching in the making of cold calls will broaden our clients’ experience of our rich Chicago community resources. Upon completion of our four-week program, job seekers will continue with their job search until they find employment. Above and Beyond is committed to offering on-going support, case management and follow up as a critical part of our WERKforce Program.

HOUSINGAbove and Beyond believes that the success of sustainable, long-term recovery will be bolstered when our clients are employed and housed. Our experience supports this as does common sense. However, on the other side of the coin, 68 percent of all United States cities blame addiction for causing homelessness which syncs seamlessly with estimates from the National Coalition for the Homeless. They claim that 38 percent of homeless people are addicted to alcohol and over a quarter of the nation’s homeless are addicted to some type of drug. An even more sorrowful statistic speaks to a 70 percent addiction disorder rate among the nation’s veteran homeless population. Without the right treatment for addiction, it becomes almost impossible to escape homelessness. The downward spiral continues to drag down an entire cross section of our communities, who could otherwise be contributing members of their families, neighborhoods, and workplaces. To further complicate matters, f finding appropriate housing can be an additional stress-causing burden during recovery due to discrimination and cost issues. We believe that a crucial factor in the support of the process of recovery is having a sober living environment. We are committed to the aid of those in need of appropriate, affordable shelter. Fortunately for this disadvantaged group of addicts, alcoholics, and substance abusers, there is Above and Beyond. We are pledged to serve them. We have developed a system of ‘housing by referral’ that will place our clients in residential situations which can best support their recovery programs. Our Housing Program offers our clients full time case management so that, together, we can explore Chicago’s vast array of appropriate housing options. Maintaining our links with the robust resources of our city, we will be expanding our network of supportive referral agencies in a manner best suited to the needs of our clients. We are deeply committed to our mission of preparing our clients for a healthy transition to a new life in a promising environment.

ART THERAPYArt therapy is a form of therapy that uses expression and creative process to improve a person’s physical, mental and emotional well-being. A fun way for individuals to express themselves.

ABC 12-STEPSWe have found a way to merge two of the primary SUD (Substance Use Disorder) treatment modalities into one cohesive program that embodies the most functional features of each one while discarding some of the elements which have caused unnecessary confusion and controversy. Follow the link below to learn more.